Rating: 
Summary: A word of warning : Descriptive notation
Review: I just received this book. It comes highly recommended and I don't doubt it will prove as entertaining and instructive as all the other reviewer says it is. A word of warning though! It comes in DESCRIPTIVE notation, not in the more usual algebraic notation. Strange in a time where most classics are reprinted as algebraic. To me, and probably to many others, it makes the book significantly harder to read. I was surprised not to see that item highlighted in the reviews, so I just thought I'd mention it. Happy checkin' to everybody!
Rating: 
Summary: Instructive book
Review: I recommend every serious chess player to have this book on his (her) shelf. Chernev had a rare talent for selecting games. The games selected here exemplify certain positional themes in a way I've seen nowhere else. Games concerning knight outposts, color complexes, rook endings and so on. But a caveat is in order. I doubt Chernev was a strong player and so his notes tend to be superficial and belabor the obvious. An annotator like Nunn, Crouch or Hubner would explain the game better (though possibly at the expense of not showing the forest for the trees).
Rating:
Summary: This is an excellent book!!!
Review: Originally I planned to give this book 5 stars, because it was the first one to teach me about the positional play: rook on seventh rank, knight outpost, bad/good bishop, bishop pair, etc... Now if I can give it 4 1/2 stars... There are two reasons for this change of heart: one for technical, and one, personal.
1)Technical: when I saw those games were from Master and GMs, I thought it was all I need to learn and graded it at 2000+. After seeing Nunn's book (Chess Move by Move), Nunn's is a better one (thanks to the time factors.) I agreed that Chernev's book is about 1700. Nunn's is 2100+. Nunn's is a combinations of Chernev "Most Instructive..." and "Logical chess..." Nunn's explained the battle as it fights back and forth. Chernev's is simple-minded; mostly from the point-of-view of the victors.
2) Personal: The most single line that cost me more than a dozen hard-fought games is the second paragraph (and some from the first parag.) of game 43 (Schlechter-Mason): "The extra Pawn can be turned into a Queen, as the good player knows, and with a Queen ahead he can beat anybody in the world." Well, many times I fought hard, even from a bad position, to gain the extra Pawn; then I sat idly on it, waiting for my opponents to give up while my clock running down; then in time trouble, I blundered a piece! Well, it's over. I hope Chernev had one game to illustrate the point "Good position doesn't win game, good move does." Anyhow, how good is Chernev's book? I have 2 (TWO) copies: one I use too much that it becomes loose leaves, I have to put it in 3-ring binder for frequent review. The other is for collector's item. THIS BOOK IS A CLASSICS!!!! PS: After reading back what Chernev wrote, I realized the keyword "as the GOOD player knows..." That explained everything; I am NOT... ;)
YOU ROCK, MASTER CHERNEV. (4 5/8 stars, NOW!!!)
Rating:
Summary: This is an excellent book!!!
Review: Originally I planned to give this book 5 stars, because it was the first one to teach me about the positional play: rook on seventh rank, knight outpost, bad/good bishop, bishop pair, etc... Now if I can give it 4 1/2 stars... There are two reasons for this change of heart: one for technical, and one, personal.
1)Technical: when I saw those games were from Master and GMs, I thought it was all I need to learn and graded it at 2000+. After seeing Nunn's book (Chess Move by Move), Nunn's is a better one (thanks to the time factors.) I agreed that Chernev's book is about 1700. Nunn's is 2100+. Nunn's is a combinations of Chernev "Most Instructive..." and "Logical chess..." Nunn's explained the battle as it fights back and forth. Chernev's is simple-minded; mostly from the point-of-view of the victors.
2) Personal: The most single line that cost me more than a dozen hard-fought games is the second paragraph (and some from the first parag.) of game 43 (Schlechter-Mason): "The extra Pawn can be turned into a Queen, as the good player knows, and with a Queen ahead he can beat anybody in the world." Well, many times I fought hard, even from a bad position, to gain the extra Pawn; then I sat idly on it, waiting for my opponents to give up while my clock running down; then in time trouble, I blundered a piece! Well, it's over. I hope Chernev had one game to illustrate the point "Good position doesn't win game, good move does." Anyhow, how good is Chernev's book? I have 2 (TWO) copies: one I use too much that it becomes loose leaves, I have to put it in 3-ring binder for frequent review. The other is for collector's item. THIS BOOK IS A CLASSICS!!!! PS: After reading back what Chernev wrote, I realized the keyword "as the GOOD player knows..." That explained everything; I am NOT... ;)
YOU ROCK, MASTER CHERNEV. (4 5/8 stars, NOW!!!)
Rating: 
Summary: Incredible
Review: This book goes beyond simple instruction. Irving Chernev presents the information in such a clear - cut method. I would recommend this book to anyone, beginner or expert. Buy this book now!!
Rating:
Summary: Absolute gem of a book!
Review: This book, along with Chernev's "Logical Chess Move by Move" is clearly the authors Magnum Opus. The book features 62 chapters (i.e. games) played by the "older masters" like Tarrasch, Lasker, Capablanca, Rubenstein, Fischer(I know - not that old), Botvinnik, Nimzowitsch, Petrosian, etc. etc. The games are dissected at a level comfortable for club level players. Each game focuses on a theme (i.e outpost, weak square, bishop pair, rook ending, Occupation of 7th rank, isolated pawn, etc. I highly recommend this book (along with the other book mentioned) to anyone rated between 1100 - 1600. I can think of few other titles that will return as much value for the modest time investment to read them! Chernev has an infectious love for the game of chess paralleled by few (if any) chess writers, past or present. He was probably around International Master Playing strength. Each game hammers on one particular positional theme. This book is incredibly instructive.
Rating:
Summary: Fun And Instructive
Review: This is a fun book to play through: Chernev loves chess and it shows. Positional chess at its best.
Rating:
Summary: What a great read!
Review: This is a great book of 62 games that are highly instructive in all aspects of the game, but in particular strategy.
The games are played by some of the best players in history;
Botvinnik, Capablanca, Lasker, Rubenstein, Fischer. Just to name a few. Each Game is an instructive and entertaining masterpiece that will enlighten any player. Each time you read it you learn and understand more and more about the game of chess. This book however is not for the rank beginner. Perhaps it is best to consider it the sequal to the author's great book "Logical Chess: Move By Move". This book is great. Get it. Read it. Enjoy it. You won't regret it.
Rating:
Summary: Beautiful and instructive games collection
Review: This is a wonderful collection of 62 classic annotated games. As the book's subtitle implies, this is a book about strategy and positional play, not combinational themes. Chernev chose games which would illustrate most clearly each particular strategical theme or general principle, such as The Knight Outpost at Q5 or The Two Bishops or The Active Rook in the Endgame. Chernev's enthusiasm for the game of chess shines through with every annotation. His succinct notes reveal the beauty in even the most mundane of endgames. It's not easy to annotate games in a way that is both instructive and entertaining, but Chernev does so in a remarkably smooth manner. This is a great book for novices to learn typical winning game patterns while being treated to beautiful classic master games. But don't take this approach too far. Tactics are what wins most amateur chess games. Until you can play without regularly dropping material due to tactical oversights, you should concentrate your study time on chess tactics.
Rating:
Summary: Outstanding. Someone should convert this to Algeraic
Review: This is an outstanding book, 62 games annotated clearly by a legend. However, as a beginner unfamiliar with the descriptive notation, reading it was hard work. I just wish Nunn will convert this to algebraic, and add his comments/notes, like he did with vukovic's book.
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